Photo courtesy of Freddie Records
Award-winning Tejano artist Lucky Joe, whose fans rallied behind his online fundraiser for a tour bus, announced during a Facebook Live on Monday night (April 8) that he had surpassed his $25,000 goal.
The two-time Latin Grammy-nominated artist signed to the Freddie Records label, appeared overcome with emotion as he told his fans they could cease with all donations as his total was more than $27,000.
“We’re there,” he said. “We’re there. You guys stop completely. Please, just stop. No more. We went over. We went over.”
He thanked his fans, thanked God, and announced a free concert in the works for his supporters, to be held in the Rio Grande Valley.
From the start, the crowdfunding campaign drew widespread positive and negative reactions, with supporters quickly jumping to Lucky Joe’s defense whenever critics mocked or shamed him for asking for money.
Lucky Joe admitted that the critical, and even, hateful remarks, caused him countless hours of worrying, but in the end, the results proved the naysayers wrong. “I want to come on here really quick and tell everybody that we have reached our goal,” Lucky said. “We have reached our goal. Praise God.”
“Stop, stop, stop already,” he pleaded with fans who still wanted to donate. “No more.”
After stopping for a moment to regain his composure, Lucky Joe thanked everyone and then said he would hold a free concert in the Valley in appreciation for all of his supporters.
The fundraising began jokingly on April 2, when the musician posted that of his 41,000 followers if just 25,000 of them donated $1 each, he could earn enough for a tour bus for reliable transportation to and from his performances. The donations came pouring in as the public reacted overwhelmingly in support of the Weslaco-based artist with donations from as little as the minimum $1 you can give on CashApp to larger gifts of up to $500.
“My heart is filled with joy,” Lucky Joe said. “It wants to explode with joy.”
“It’s unbelievable. I have no words.”
His emotions appeared to range from joy, shock, gratitude and just being overwhelmed by the outpouring from the public. “We’re there, guys,” he said. “We reached our goal, and everybody from Tejano icons to fans to businesses to everybody. Everybody pulled together. Everybody showed unity. Everybody showed that we can do something if we unite, if we get together, if we leave our egos at the front door. If we leave our attitudes and egos at the front door. We showed everybody. We showed everybody what we can do. We showed everybody what is possible.”
Interestingly enough, Lucky Joe aimed the bulk of his gratitude toward his critics and naysayers. “You have no idea how thankful I am,” he said. “Even to the people that said we couldn’t do it. Even to the people that were giving me shit about it. Even to the people that were trying to drag us through the mud, that were trying to drag us through all this scrutiny.”
“You guys gave us fuel,” Lucky Joe said. “I want to thank you for that fuel. I want to thank you for that energy, giving us fuel to finish this goal. Giving us fuel to end the race. You guys gave us so much fuel, and I want to thank you guys especially, Thank you so much for doing that. Thank you for keeping us relevant. Thank you for allowing our fans to be like, ‘Hey, wait a minute, he never treated me that way. Hey, wait a minute, he never did that.'”
His detractors’ comments ranged from saying he should raise funds for the homeless and truly needy, or they simply stooped to personal attacks about his music and life. Many Facebook posts accused the critics of being fellow Tejano artists themselves. Some used blank accounts, so it was impossible to determine who they were.
The popular artist admitted that the negativity and hurtful remarks caused him to spend “countless hours” questioning his decision.
Devin Banda and Lucky Joe | Courtesy photo
One special person who helped cheer him on, during his moments of doubt, was his wife, Devin Banda, herself a recording artist set to release new music soon. As his voice rose when he grew emotional, Lucky quickly lowered it, as he said his wife was working in the house. “I want to give a special thanks to my wife,” he said. “She’s been there by my side, cheering me on, trying to make me feel better, and saying, ‘Baby, it’s okay. Don’t worry. People are going to say what they’re going to say. Tu, no mas, keep going.”
He added Devin was “my support system throughout this whole thing.”
Moving forward, the “Mi Guerita” singer promised complete transparency. “You’re going to see everything,” Lucky said. “I’m going to take you through the whole process. I have nothing to hide. You guys are going to see it all.”
Lucky Joe realizes and appreciates how much it means for fans, who often face hard times themselves, to support him with donations. “I know that this is your hard-working money,” he said. “I know what it is about, to earn a dollar. I know what it’s about.”
Among the calls and messages he’s received since his campaign began, Lucky Joe said they include “tons of requests” for help from other artists who want to replicate what he did. Lucky won’t name the artists, because he doesn’t want them to experience the hatred and negativity that he did, but he said he would help them.
As for the outspoken “haters,” Lucky joe revealed to Tejano Nation that he has heard personally from many of them, too. “You know, it’s crazy how out of a lot of the hate that I received, a lot of them took back their words and apologized and contacted me directly just to let me know that they were sorry for what they said,” Lucky said. “A lot of these people, they said what they said, based on a notion. And I don’t blame them. I forgive each and every one of them. But I know I had several artists reach out to me, saying how they wished they would have thought of it first, and that they’re so proud of me and congratulating me for what I did.”
Overall, Lucky Joe said the incredible support his cause received, only shows the strength and love for the music. “At the end of the day, I just feel so humbled by all this,” he said. “I feel so humbled because I know I’m leaving a good seed out there. I know I’m doing good things. And, this is just proof that we’re doing good things and that people can still support Tejano music.”
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